Democrats slam Trump’s Venezuela move: ‘From world cop to world bully’

Donald Trump’s brazen attack on Venezuela and the incredible capture of its president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from his presidential quarters has, expectedly, faced opposition from within the US.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he spoke with Trump “directly” to register his opposition to the move, as he termed the unilateral attack on a sovereign nation an “act of war”.

The couple have been indicted in the Southern District of New York and have been brought to the city to face the charges against them.

An act of war: Mamdani

“I registered my opposition. I made it clear and we left it at that,” Mamdani said, giving no details of what Trump’s response to him was.

Mamdani said the “blatant pursuit of regime change” impacts New Yorkers, including Venezuelans who live in the city.

Also read: Explained: Why did US attack Venezuela?

“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” the newly sworn-in mayor said in a statement.

“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad; it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance,” Mamdani said.

‘From world cop to world bully’

The criticism from some other Democrats was immediate.

“This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year.” Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona wrote on X. “There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said while Maduro is an “illegitimate dictator” who has inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people, that reality does not give any president a blank cheque to use military force without Congress authorisation.

Also read: India mum on US’s Venezuela attack but issues advisory; experts warn of ‘bad precedent’

‘Abusing presidential power’

“By acting without congressional authorisation and publicly asserting US control over another sovereign nation, President Trump is abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers,” said the Democrat.

He said the Trump administration must immediately account for the safety of US personnel, disclose whether there were any casualties and fully and immediately brief Congress.

“The president has now stated that the United States will run Venezuela, committing the country to open-ended responsibility. Neither the American people nor Congress approved that course. This use of force and claimed control erode the rule of law, embolden Moscow and Beijing to push boundaries elsewhere, weaken America’s credibility, and ultimately make Americans less safe,” Krishnamoorthi said.

More questions than answers

The path ahead could certainly be treacherous as the White House faces a series of difficult questions.

Who will fill the power vacuum now that Maduro is gone? What lies ahead for a country that’s endured years of hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages and brain drain despite its vast oil wealth?

Also read: US claim of capturing Venezuela's Maduro signals dangerous return to regime-change politics

What lessons will US adversaries take from Trump's decision to demonstrate American might in its sphere of influence as China’s Xi Jinping vows to annex the self-ruled island of Taiwan and Russia’s Vladimir Putin has designs on neighbour Ukraine and diminishing NATO’s eastern flank?

UN voices concern

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has voiced his concern over the developments, saying they constitute a “dangerous precedent”.

The secretary general is “deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potential worrying implications for the region”, a statement issued by his spokesperson said on Saturday.

Guterres said independently of the situation in Venezuela, “these developments constitute a dangerous precedent” and said he is “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected”.

Also read: Maduro and his wife will face trial in the US, claims Pam Bondi, senator quotes Rubio

Guterres continued to emphasise the importance of full respect — by all — of international law, including the UN Charter.

“The Secretary-General calls on all actors in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law,” the statement added.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk also expressed alarm by US intervention in Venezuela.

“We urge everyone to exercise restraint and fully respect the UN Charter and international human rights law. The protection of people in Venezuela is paramount and must guide any further action,” Turk said on X.

Venezuela is not Iran

Trump has now twice used US forces to carry out risky operations against American adversaries. In June, he directed US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

With the Venezuela operation, Trump followed through on a promise, spelled out in his National Security Strategy published last month, to assert US dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Also read: Trump reveals how Maduro was captured, and US plans to ‘run’ Venezuela, sell its oil

Retired Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery told news agency AP the immediate path ahead for Trump in Venezuela could be more difficult to navigate than what he faced after the Iran strikes.

“Unlike the (Iran) strikes where Trump did the action and then said fight’s over, he will not have that luxury here in Venezuela,” said Montgomery, an analyst at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a hawkish think tank in Washington.

Firm opposition from Russia and China

Global leaders have already reacted sharply to the US move, with some expressing concern and urging restraint, while others cautiously backing Washington’s move.

The Russian Foreign Ministry “strongly” urged the US leadership to “reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse”.

China condemned the US airstrikes, describing them as “hegemonic acts” that seriously violate international law.

Also read: Will Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado emerge as face of post-Maduro Venezuela?

“China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the US’s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its President,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

“China firmly opposes it. We call on the US to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and stop violating other countries’ sovereignty and security,” it said.

‘Dangerous precedent’ for entire international community

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the strikes and Maduro’s capture an “unacceptable line”, adding that these represent the most serious affront to Venezuela's sovereignty and an “extremely dangerous precedent” for the entire international community.

“Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism,” he said in an X post, adding that this “threatens the preservation” of Latin America and the Caribbean region as a zone of peace".

Also read: From bus driver to president: Maduro's remarkable rise before the fall

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK was not involved in the US operation in Venezuela and that he would seek additional information from Trump.

Starmer said he always believes that international law should be upheld. “But I think at this stage, fast-moving situation, let’s establish the facts and take it from there,” he said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for “de-escalation and responsibility” and in a social media post said that international law and the principles of the UN Charter must be respected.

Trump allies rejoice

Maduro was hardly viewed as a choir boy by the international community. His 2018 and 2024 elections were seen as riddled with irregularities and viewed as illegitimate.

Argentinian President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, spoke out in support of the developments. “Freedom moves forward. Long live freedom, damn it!” he said in a social media post, Argentine media reported.

In an X post, Ecuador President Daniel Noboa said, “To all the narco chavista criminals, your time is coming. Your structure will completely collapse across the entire continent.”

European Commission President Antonio Costa said he had “great concern” about the situation in Venezuela following the US operation.

“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added on X. “Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint.”

(With agency inputs)